Category: MIL-OSI

Source: PHARMAC

When a medicine is no longer under patent, suppliers can sell a generic, often less expensive, version of that medicine. Once a year, we invite suppliers to bid to be the main suppliers of medicines that are no longer under patent. Depending on which supplier’s bid is successful, the funded brand of medicine could change.

The annual tender process begins in July, when we release consultation on a draft list of items that we are considering including in the upcoming tender.

We ask clinicians, consumer advocacy groups, people who use the medicines, and suppliers a range of questions, including whether or not the item should be included in the tender, and what we should consider when reviewing bids and product samples. We also want to understand any support that might be needed if we were to change brands for any of the medicines included in the tender.

Once the consultation closes, we send the information to our Tender Clinical Advisory Committee, which is made up of doctors, pharmacists, nurses and other clinical specialists, for input.

After we’ve considered their advice, we finalise the list of items to be included in the tender and issue an “Invitation to Tender” for these items. This invites suppliers to submit their commercial bids. The tender closes in December, and then we start evaluating the bids.

We then ask some suppliers to send us samples of the medicines they’re bidding to provide as the main supplier. The Tender Clinical Advisory Committee reviews these samples in February or March, where Pharmac staff and Committee members inspect labels, open packages, test creams, taste medicines, shake bottles and discuss what might work best.

Sometimes, the Committee will identify issues with how a medicine is used, which we consider as part of the bid assessment. A crucial step is identifying how a change might impact the people taking the medicine, and what information people prescribing, dispensing, and taking medicines would need to help them understand a potential change in the medicine’s brand.

Our goal is to ensure we provide enough support so people can feel reassured during a change.

We then assess the bid against our decision-making framework, the Factors for Consideration. Specifically, we evaluate whether:

• the supplier can meet demand and has a reliable supply record
• the brand is approved by Medsafe
• the price is sustainable and offers savings that can be reinvested into funding more medicines
• there are groups of people for whom a brand change may not be appropriate. If so, we consider what actions Pharmac can take to mitigate or prevent any negative impacts on these individuals and their families or whānau.

We announce these decisions throughout the year, at the end of every month.

Source: New Zealand Police

Police have arrested a man over a firearms incident on Marne Road in Papakura last month.

The 41-year-old man had a warrant for his arrest and was subject of an appeal late last month.

Detective Senior Sergeant Simon Taylor, of Counties Manukau South CIB, says the man was located by a unit near a Papakura address last night.

“A traffic stop was conducted on Duke Street, and the man was taken into custody without incident,” he says.

The man has been charged with wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm over the 8 March incident.

He will appear in the Manukau District Court today.

ENDS.

Jarred Williamson/NZ Police

Source: New Zealand Police

Please attribute to Detective Senior Sergeant Anthony Darvill, Auckland City West Area Investigations Manager:

Police have made an arrest in the investigation into a disorder incident in Mt Albert on Friday 27 March, where a number of people were seriously injured.

A 17-year-old male will appear in the Auckland Youth Court on Wednesday 9 April charged with wounding, aggravated assault, unlawfully taking a motor vehicle and being an unlicensed driver.

Enquiries remain ongoing to identify others involved and hold them to account for their behaviour.

If you have any information that you believe could be helpful, please contact Police on 105 or via 105 online, referencing file number 260328/8294.

Alternatively, information can be provided anonymously to Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.

ENDS.

Source: Family First

New Zealand First has proposed a Definitions of Woman and Man Amendment Bill, a Private Member’s Bill drawn for debate in April 2026, aimed at formally defining “woman” as “an adult human biological female” and “man” as “an adult human biological male” within the Legislation Act 2019. Now we find out once and for all whether MPs can define Truth and biology – or whether they’re wokesters captured by ideology and fear.

Independent polling commissioned by Family First NZ and carried out by Curia Market Research last May (2025) found majority support for a Member’s Bill that would ensure the biological definition of a woman and man are defined in law according to biology.

The Legislation (Definitions of Woman and Man) Amendment Bill will provide clarity and consistency in New Zealand law by defining “woman” as “an adult human biological female” and “man” as “an adult human biological male” in the Legislation Act 2019.

It will soon have its 1st reading.

52% of respondents said they support the proposed law and only 29% oppose it. (A further 19% were unsure).

Women net support was +4% with a further 27% unsure, but men were strongly in favour with net support +42%. Net support by age is +19% for under 40s, +22% for 40-59 year olds, and +26% for over 60s.

In terms of party vote, ACT voters were most supportive (72%) followed by NZ First (68%) and National (64%). Undecided voters were 54% in favour. Labour were 35% for and 44% against, Greens -15% net support and TPM -13%.

Family First have a history of advocating on the need to ensure the biological definition of a woman and man are defined in law according to biology…

“What is a woman?” 23,500+ Petition Presented to Parliament

A Family First petition calling for ‘woman’ to be defined as ‘an adult human female’ in all our laws, public policies and regulations and signed by more than 23,500 people was presented to Parliament in August 2024. It was received by then Deputy Prime Minister and Leader of NZ First Winston Peters and NZ First MP Tanya Unkovich.

Government Doesn’t Want To Define Woman

familyfirst.org.nz/government-doesnt-want-to-define-woman/

The Government’s response to a 23,532-strong petition asking for ‘woman’ to be clearly defined in all laws, public policies and regulations has been issued, and is being labelled as weak, confused, and shows both a clear lack of understanding around what a woman is and any desire to protect women in society.

“The sad irony is that the Minister for Women in her response refused to define what a woman is.  Alongside this, she is also clearly indicating the irrelevancy of her role because she will not actually stand up for the recognition and protection of women” says Bob McCoskrie, CEO of Family First.

Source: New Zealand Police

One person has died following a serious crash on Foxton Shannon Road this afternoon.

Emergency services were called to the single-vehicle crash just before 4pm.

Sadly, one person has died.

The road remains closed while the Serious Crash Unit conduct a scene examination.

Motorists are advised to avoid the area and expect delays.

Enquiries into the circumstances of the crash are ongoing.

ENDS

Issued by Police Media Centre

Source: New Zealand Police

Emergency services are at the scene of a serious crash on Foxton Shannon Road between Himatangi Block and Poplar South Roads.

The single-vehicle crash into a power pole was reported just before 4pm.

One person is reported to have serious injuries.

The power company has been notified as powerlines are down.

Motorists should avoid the area and expect delays while emergency services work at the scene.

ENDS

Issued by Police Media Centre

Source: Auckland Council

Source: Auckland Council

Source: NZ Department of Conservation

In a late-stage upset Te Tai Tokerau residents rallied to back their own Northland mudfish as the country’s fish of the year – coming from behind to win the fifth annual Mountains to Sea competition.

The come back

After trailing outside the top 10 at the halfway mark, this “secretive, sleepy” galaxiid surged into the lead in the final 24 hours, fuelled by a pivotal endorsement from the Northland Regional Council’s (NRC) team and local supporters.

A record-breaking 5,896 New Zealanders cast their votes, proving that size isn’t everything. At just 15cm, the mudfish is the first freshwater species and the smallest fish to ever win, overtaking heavyweights like the whale shark and longfin eel.

Mudfish’s special power

Found within an only 25km radius of Lake Ōmapere, the Northland mudfish sports a burgundy colouring in the light and can survive when there’s no water about.

They slow their metabolism and absorb oxygen through their skin and then when water returns, they become active immediately. They are one of only five mudfish species in Aotearoa New Zealand.

They are only one of five mudfish found around the country. Growing to around 10 cm in length, they have a cigar-shaped body with thick skin and no scales. Adults are primarily nocturnal and can be seen at night, although they can be tricky

to spot amongst the wetland vegetation.

It’s favourite habitat

The Northland mudfish is usually found in low-fertile wetlands with damp surroundings and cover, such as mud, logs and vegetation. They also like water in gumland and peat bog wetlands, where water can be tea coloured due to the dense vegetation.

It’s conservation status

Northland Mudfish is a threatened species. Due to wetlands across Te Tai Tokerau Northland having been extensively drained and modified, mudfish have been forced to remain in small pockets of wetland. This, combined with water pollution and drainage, livestock trampling wetlands as they graze, invasive weeds competing with native vegetation, and invasive fish like the gambusia, the remaining mudfish population face intense pressure.

How to support the Northland mudfish

Here are some steps Northland residents can take to help the mudfish:

• Fence off wetlands on your property
• Increase the size of your wetland, which will establish more habitat for mudfish
• Planting native vegetation as a buffer around wetlands to help protect it and enhance water quality
• Control weeds in your wetland
• Minimise nutrient inputs, such as nitrogen and phosphorus
• Preventing invasive fish from establishing in wetlands
• Thinking long-term about conservation of the wetland. ‘What impacts might I do that will effect this wetland long-term?’
• Many other native species also benefit from wetlands being protected, such as the matuku (Australasian bittern)

Listen to Biodiversity Ranger Hana Harris on MoreFM Northland:

Listen to The Hunt for The Mudfish on MoreFM Northland:

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Find out more about our marvellous mudfish and how you can help them: www.doc.govt.nz/mudfish

Source: New Zealand Government

Pre-construction work will commence at the Tukituki Water Security Project in Hawkes Bay with the help of a Regional Infrastructure Fund loan of up to $18.13 million, Associate Regional Development Minister Mark Patterson says. The Minister was at an event in Ongaonga today to announce the funding.

“The water storage project would help unlock economic potential – boost food production and create jobs.”

“As a key food producing region, Hawkes Bay has the potential for expansion with reliable long-term water supplies. This project will support land uses such as horticulture, seed production and high-value pastoral farming,” Mr Patterson says.

The work will include completion of detailed design, engineering and confirm construction costs and overall commercial viability.

If the project progresses to the construction phase, it is expected to enable the future irrigation of up to 22,000 hectares, create up to 300 jobs during construction and add up to $693 million to annual GDP for the region.

The finished water storage facility and distribution pipework network would be capable of storing 104 million cubic metres of water, the equivalent of 41,600 Olympic-sized swimming pools.

“Securing more water has been identified as a top priority for the Hawke’s Bay region,” Mr Patterson says.

“Hawkes Bay is one of our driest regions, and pressure on freshwater resources is increasing. New water storage will help address these challenges by improving water security and supporting the region’s long‑term resilience,” Mr Patterson says.

Tukituki Water Limited Partnership, which is developing the project, will receive the loan. A grant of up to $3 million was allocated in December 2024 for early development of the project.

“This water security project has the potential to transform Hawkes Bay by enabling higher value food and fibre production, and processing,” Mr Patterson says.

“The project represents an important investment in Hawkes Bay’s future, helping protect water security while enabling economic development and long‑term regional resilience. I look forward to seeing continued progress,” Mr Patterson says.